The Ontario Building Code | Number of Required Exits
9.9.8.2. Number of Required Exits
(1) Except as provided in Sentences (2) and (3) and Subsection 9.9.9., at least two exits shall be provided from every floor area, spaced so that the travel distance to the nearest exit is not more than,
(a) 40 m in the case of business and personal services occupancies,
(b) 45 m for all occupancieswhere the floor area is sprinklered, and
(c) 30 m for all other occupancies.
(2) Except as provided in Subsection 9.9.9., a single exit is permitted from each storey in buildingsof 1 and 2 storeys in building height provided the floor area and travel distance requirements conform to those required in Article 9.9.7.4. and the total occupant load served by an exit facility does not exceed 60 persons.
(3) Inboarding, lodging or rooming houses,
(a) where sleeping accommodation is provided for not more than eight persons, a single exitis permitted from each floor area, or
(b) where sleeping accommodation is not provided in the basement, a single exit is permitted from the basementfloor area.
In Plain Language
The number of exits a building or floor area requires is set out in this article, generally based on occupant load, floor area, and occupancy type.
This is a plain-language summary of the 2012/2017 Ontario Building Code text above, for general understanding only and not a substitute for the Code. Always confirm current requirements against the 2024 edition (O.Reg. 163/24) or a qualified professional before construction.